Air-brake system.



G. MACLOSKIE.

AIR BRAKE SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 30, 1904.

Patented Jan. 19, 1909.

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' inapplicab e.

applied upon a breaking apart of the train,

To all whom it may concern:

UNITED STATES GEORGE MACLOSKIE, OF-SOHENEOTADY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELECTRIC PATENT OFFICE. v

COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

' AIR-BRAKE SYSTEM.

Be it known that I, GEORGE LIAGLOSKIE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Schenectady, in the county of Schenectady and State of New Yorkfhave invented certain new and useful Improvements in Air- Brake Systems, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to what is known as straight air-brake systems. In these systems the brake cylinders are connected through a motoi'mans valve directly to a source of com ressed air, or to the atmos phere, to app y or torelease the brakes. This system possesses marked advantages over what is known as the automatic system, not only in the, simplicity of the apparatus, but in the ease with which both the applica' tion and release of the brakes may be graduated by the motorman. When applied to trains, however, the straight air-brake system has certain disadvantages as comared with the automatic system.. In the st place, since the air must travel the entire length of the trainto and from the brake cylinders, when the brakes are applied andreleased, it is impossible to produce a practically simultaneous operation of all the brakes on the train, as in the automatic system. For long trains this disadvantage renders. the strai ht air-brake system practically For short trains, .however, this disadvantage is ractically of no importance, but there st' e ristsa second objection inthat the brakes are not automatically as is the case with the automatic system.

One object of my invention is to provide a modification of the straight air-brake system, which shall render automatic the a plication of the brakes upon a, parting of tile train, and thereby produce a system which, when applied to short trains, will possess all the advantages of both the straigh and the automatic systems.

Another object of my invention is to enable a quicker a plication of the brakesto be made. in case 0 emergency than is possible in the ordinary straight air-brake system. My invention will bestbe understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 shows diagrammatically a train of two cars arranged in-accordance with my Specification of Lettei's Patent.-

Application filed April 30, 190$. Serial No. 205,654.,

invention, and. Fig. 2 shows in cross-section .Patented Jan. 19, 1909.

In the drawings, C represents an air-com' pressor and R a main reservoir. The main reservoir R is connected through the automatic valve V to train-pi e L, which I shall hereafter designate as t e main. reservoir line. The main reservoir line L is connected through the motormans valves M M, of the type usually employed in straight airbrake systems, to the train-pipe T, which corresponds to the single train line ordinarily used in straight air-brake systems. The train-pipe T is connected through the automatic valve V to the brake cylinder B. The second car, which I have shown as a trailer not provided withan air-com ressor or motormans valve, carries an aux' iary reservoir R, an automatic valve V and a brake cylinder B.

Although I have shown an equipment for a simple trailer, it will be understood that both cars may be motor cars equipped with separate compressors and with motormans valves. Moreover, although 'I have shown only two cars, it will be understood that my invention is applicable to a train composed of a greater'number of cars.

Iieferring now to Fig. 2, the construction of the automatic valve be explained. The port connected to the main reservoir R is indicated by the reference character 1'.

separated from the chamber 2 by a piston A. This piston carries a leather-seated valve E which, when the piston is in the position shown, separates chamber 1 from chamber 3. Sis a compression spring which holds piston A normally in the position shown. Passages a a are provided around piston A, affording a restricted passage between the chambers 1 and 2. Z represents the port for the main reservoir line L opening out from chamber 2.

y This port opens into a chamber 1, which is Piston A also carries the valve F situated in chamber 4, into which opens the port twhich is connected to the train-pipe T. The rod D connecting valve F to piston A is channeled out, as shown, so as to provide a c'ommunication between chambers 3 and 4' when piston A and valve-F are in the position shown. From chamber 3 opens port I), which is connected to the brake cylinder B. The operation is then, as follows: with the piston A of the automatic valve V in the position shown in Fig. 2, assume that the motorman wishes I to make, a service stop: the motormans valve M is-moved in the usual manner to connect the main reservoir line L with trainpipe T. Air then flows from the main reservoirrR throu h the port 1 into chamber 1; thence throug the passa es 0. a into chamber 2; thence through port line L, through motormans valve M, to

traini e T, through port t of automatic the ordinary brake system, and both application andrelease may be raduated by the motorman, as desired. It the cars should separate, however, main reservoir line L would be broken and connected directly to the atmosphere and the pressure therein would be suddenly lowered. A rush of air would consequently take place from main reservoir B through port 1' of auxiliary valve V, and pressing on piston A would move it against the pressure of spring S so as to close the passages a, a. At the same time valve E is lifted from its seat, opening a passage from chamber 1 to chamber 3, while valve F is closed, cutting off the connection between chambers 3 and 4. The air consequently rushes directly from main reservoir B through chamber 1 to chamber 3, and thence through port I) to brake cylinder B. In the same manner air from auxiliary reservoir R on the trailer will be admitted directly to brake cylinder B. Thus the brakes on both cars are automatically a plied.

The system as above escribed has a further advantage in that it enables the motorman to make a very quick stop in case of emergency. The passages 11 a in the auxiliary valve V are so proportioned that for all ordinary service applications of the brakes sufficient difference of pressure would not exist between chambers 1 and 2 to move piston A. If it is desired to make an emergency stop, however, motormans valve M may be thrown wide open to connect main reservoir line L to train-pipe T, in which case sufiicient rush of air will occur to lower suddenly the pressure of air in line L, to move piston A, and to produce an emergency application of the brakes in the same manner as if the train had parted.

It-is evident that the system above de-.

scribed, as well as the structure of the auto matic valve, permits of many modifications to main reservoir invention. Accordingly, I aim in the appended claims to cover all such modifications which arewithin the spirit and scope, of my invention. 7

What I claim as new, and desire to. secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is,

1. ins-combination with a train of cars, two train-pipe lines, a reservoir on each car normally connected to one of said lines, a brake cylinder on each car normallv connected to the second line, a manually con trolled valve adapted to connect said lines together to apply the brakes and to connect the second line to atmosphere to release the brakes, automatic means on each car ada ted to connect reservoir directly to bra e cylinder u on a sudden lowering of the pressure on t e first of said lines, and a spring yieldingly opposing the movement of said automatic means.

2. In combination with a straigh airbrake system, a reservoir on each car, a pipe line extending through the train and normally connected to each reservoir through a restricted passage adapted to permit the flow of air in either direction, automatic means on each car adapted to close said assage and to connect reservoir to brake cy der u on a sudden lowering of the ressure in sai train line,.and a spring yiel dingly opposing the movement of said automatic means.

3. In a straight air-brake system, a train line normally connected to the brake cylinders, a reservoir on each car, automatic means on each car for connecting reservoir directly to brake cylinder independently of which do not depart from the spirit of my said train line when the motormans valve of said system is moved to full braking position, and a spring yieldingly opposing .the movement of said automatic means.

4. In anair-brake system, two train pipelines, one normally ca g air at reservoir pressure and. the other normally connected to brake cylinder, and an automatic valve on each car comprising a piston responsive to sudden chan es in the first train-line, a spindle carried iy said piston, two valves carried by said s indie, one in the connection between bral ze cylinder and the second train-line and the other in a connection between brake cylinder and-reservoir, and a spring normall restraining said piston in position to hol the firstvalve open and the second closed.

5. In an air-brake system, two train pipelines, one normally carrying air at reservoir pressure and the other normally connected to brake cylinder, and an automatic valve on each car comprising a piston responsive to sudden changes in the first train-line, a

spindle carriedby said piston, two valves carried by said spindle, a connection from between said valves to brake c linder, a coneach car comprising a piston, a connection.

from'one side of said piston to the first trainline, a connection from the other side of said pistonto reservoir, arestricted passage connecting opposite sides of said piston, a spindle carried by said piston, a passage from the reservoir side of said piston to a brake cylinder connection, a valve carried by said spindle adapted to close said passage, a passage from the brake pi e connection to .a

connection to the seconc train-line, a second valve carried by said spindle adapted to close the last mentioned passage, and a spring normally restraining said piston in position to hold the first valve closed and the second open.

7. In an air-brake system, a mam reser- VOlI a motormans valve 3; strai airconnected to said mot-ormans valve, bra cylinders and auxiliary reservoirs on one or more cars, a second train-pipe normally carrying air under pressure, and an auto,- matic valve devicevfor each brake cylinder having yielding resistance means for normally holding thesame in position to establish communication from the straight airpipe to the brake cylinder and arranged to be operated bya reduction of pressure in the second t-rainipe to open communication from the auXi iary reservoir to the brake cyl inder. 5

8. In an air-brake system, a main reservoir, a motormans valve, a straight air-pi e connected to said motormans valve, braiie cylinders and auxiliary reservoirs on one'or more cars, a second train-pipe normally carrying air under pressure, and an automat c valve device for each brake cylinder having yielding resistance means for nor mally holding the same in position to establish communication from the straight airpipe to the brake cylinder and arranged to be operated bya reduction ofipressure in the second tralnipe to open communication from the auxi iary reservoir to the brake cylinder, said valve device beingarranged to establish in its normal position a restricted passage between said second train-pipe and auxiliary reservoir. 7

9. In an air-brake system, a main reservoir, a motormans valve, a straight air-pipe connected to said motormans valve, a second train-pipe normally carrying air under pressure, brake cylinders and auxlliary reservoirs on one or more cars, said auxiliary resi5 ervoirs being normally connected to said secplications of t end train-pipe through restricted passages, and an automaticvalve' device for each brake cylinder having yielding resistance means for normally holding the same in position to es-- tablish commumcation from the straight airpipe to the'brake cylinder and arranged to be operated by a reduction of pressure in the second trainipe to open communication from said auiu inder. v

10. In an air-brake system, a reservoir, a brake cylinder, a train pipe'normally carrying air under pressure, a straight-air pipe, said train pipe and straight-air ipe being connected to each other throu ii the engineers valve in straight-air app ications of the brakes, an emergency valve devicenor mally establishing communication from the straight-air pipe to the brake cylinder,- means operative upon an abnormal reduction of pressure in the train-pipe for moving said valve to open communication from reservoir to brake cylinder,'a'nd means for preventing said movement upon ordinary variations of pressure in the train pipeisuch as occur in service applications of the brakes by straigh talr.

11. In an air-brake system, a reservoir, a brake cylinder, a train pipe normally 'carrying air under pressure, a straight-air pipe, said train pipe and straight-air ipe being connected to each other throug1 the engineersvalve in straight-air applications of the brakes, an emergency valve device normally establishing communication from the straight-air pipe to the brake cylinder, means operative upon an abnormal reduction of pressure in the train pipe for moving said valve to open commumcation from reservoir to brake cylinder, and a spring opposing the movement of said valve and adapted to prevent said movement upon ordinary variations of pressure in the train pi e such as occur in service applications 0 t e brakes by straight-air. Y

12 In an air-brake system,'a reservoir, a

brake cylinder with a train pipe normally carrying air under pressure, a straight-air ipe, said train pipe and straight-air pi e emg connected to each other through t e engineers valve in straight-air applications of the brakes, an emergency valve adapted to connect brake cylinder to the strai lit-air pipe or to reservoir, a piston operative y connected to said valve subjected on one side to train pipe and on the'other to reservoir pressure, and a spring en aging said piston normally holding said va ve in ositionto connect brake cylinder, to straig t-air pipe and adapted to prevent the movement of said piston upon ordinary variations of pressure in the train pi e such as occur in service ap- Ee brakes by straight-air.

13; In a train of cars, the combination with a straight air brake system comprisreservcir for storing comp pipeextending from car to car and normally carrying under pressure,

and an emergenc valve device operative upon a sudden f I of pressure in the last mentioned pipe for disconnecting brake cylinder'iromthe straight-air pipe and connecting it to main reservoir.

14. a train of cars, the combination with a straight air brake system comprising a brake cylinder, straight-air pipe, main reservoirior storing compressed air for the system, and motormans valve controlling the pressure in the straight-air 1pi e, of a pipe extending from car to car 0 t e train and normally carrying air under pressure, a valve adapted to disconnect brake cylinder from the straight-air ipe and to connect it to main r servoir, an operating means .ior said valve subjected to the differential pressures main reservoir and of the pipe nor mally carrying air under pressure.

15. in a train of cars, the combination with a straigh air brake system comprising a brake cylinder, straight-air pipe, main reservoir constituting a storage supply of compressed air for the operation of the system, and motormans valve controlling the operation of the system, of a pipe extending frorn'car to car of the train and normally carrying air underpressure, and a springactneted emerge? valve device 0 'erative. upon a sudden i of pressure in t e lastmentioned pipe for disconnecting brake cylinder from the straight air pipe and connecting it to main reservoir. r

"16. In a train of cars, the combination with a straight air brake system comprising a brake cylinder, straight-air pipe, main reservoir constituting a storage supply of compressed air for the operation-oi t e system, and motormans valve controlling the from car to car of the train and normally carrying air under pressure, and an emerency valve device 0 erative upon a sudden tall of pressure in t e last-mentioned pi e straight-air pipe and connecting it to main reservoir.

17. In a train of cars, the combination with a straight air brake system comprising a brake cylinder, straight-air pipe, main reservoir constituting a storage supply. of compressed air for the operation of the system, and motormans valve controlling the operation of the system, of an emergency valve normally establishing communication between the straight-air pipe and the brake cylinder, but arranged to be moved into a position to cut ofi said communication and to 0 en communication from main reservoir to t e brake cylinder, a spring opposing the movement of said valve, a piston for operating said valve having main reservoir pressure on one side thereof, and a pipe extending from car to car of the train containing air under pressure and connected to a chamber on the other side of said iston. In witness whereof, I ave hereunto set my hand this 29th da of A ril, 1904.

- I c .GEO GE VLACLOSKIE. Witnesses:

BENJAMIN B. HULL, HELEN ORFORD.

for disconnecting brake cylinder from t e operation of the system, of a pipe extending 

